Mouse Trap
by Shaynie Maisonnueve
Summary: Kyou, Tohru, and Yuki find some motherless baby rats. When Tohru insists on raising them, Kyou and Yuki reluctantly find themselves playing 'Daddy' until they begin to realize just how great a mother Tohru will one day be. Eventually KyouTohru
1. Chapter 1

Mouse Trap

_-_

_I Of ?_

_-_

"_Ha! Got you, you dirty lil' bastard!"_

Tohru Honda blinked herself awake at these loud, racuous words, and then yawned and stretched. She got up hastily from her futon and threw on some old clothes - she had no school today, so there would be plenty of time to catch up on the Sohma household's laundry.

Tohru left her room a few moments later, tying a neat bow in her long brown hair as she sleepily pondered her tasks for the day ahead.

There was a lot to consider when it came to doing laundry for the three Sohma males - for instance, Yuki's uniforms must be starched and pressed to achieve the clean, crisp lines that everyone had come to associate with him. Shigure's dark yukatas had to be handled with great care, the simple-but expensive fabric had to be hand-washed and air-dryed, and his sensitive nose didn't react well to any kind of chemical detergent, or softener, so she had to use that special mild soap that was usually only used to wash infant clothing, and Kyou -

_"What did you do with that rat, you stupid cat?"_

"Huh?" Scrubbing at her eyes, Tohru stopped dead in her tracks as she reached the ground floor and came upon Kyou and Yuki, still in their pajama's, arguing loudly, and blocking the hall.

_"What d'you think I did with it, you moronic rodent - I got rid of it! Any dumb ass knows rats shouldn't be infesting their house!"_

_"Meaning that I shouldn't be in the house either, I suppose? Do I deserve to be killed, then?"_ came Yuki's dry reply.

_"Actually - yeah!"_

"Good morning!" Tohru trilled, trying to break them up. She smiled brightly as they turned to look at her.

"'Morning'?" Yuki frowned slightly at her chore clothes and hastily tied-on apron.

Kyou snorted, his red-orange eyes slitted and cat-like. "Dumb girl, it's not morning - it's not even four a.m. yet. It's still dark out. What were you thinking?"

Tohru's cheeks burned - she hadn't even thought to look outside her window, or at her clock to see what time it was. She'd just assumed -

"Watch it, cat," Yuki warned coolly, his violet eyes staring at Kyou with distaste. "It's not her fault - you're the one who woke her up and confused her with all your thumping around and yelling."

Tohru waved her hands frantically. "Oh, no, Kyou-kun is right, I should have - "

"I was catching a rat, you bastard! Isn't that what cats do? I heard it sneeking around in the kitchen! Would you rather I'd have just left the nasty-ass thing for Tohru to find in the morning?"

"You didn't have to bother. You needn't have killed it, either. It was harmless."

"Oh, yeah - that's why millions of people died across europe during the dark ages because of the fucking black plague!"

Yuki's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Clean up your mouth in front of Honda-san, you crude creature. At any rate, you could have come and gotten me - I would have just told it to go back outside. You were needlessly cruel to slaughter it."

"Gah! They carry _diseases_, you - "

Tohru sniffled, and with that small noise, the two boys went silent. They turned their attention back to her to see her eyes brimming with tears, and they both groaned.

"Oh, Kyou-kun, Yuki-san! I'm so sorry! Kyou-kun was trying to protect me, and Yuki-san, you lost a friend because of it! It's all my fault!"

Glaring murderously at Yuki, Kyou cursed and threw his hands up, "M'goin' back to bed!" He pushed past Tohru and paused for the smallest moment, his back tense, before snorting again and heading back up the stairs.

Yuki came over and took her hands, his serene eyes soft on her troubled expression.

"None of this is your fault, Honda-san. As much as I hate to admit it, the cat has a point. Wild rats have no place in the house. Anyway, I would have hated to see you frightened by seeing it in the kitchen first thing in the morning."

Tohru smiled at him reassuringly. "Oh, no, I wouldn't have been scared, Yuki-san! Well, a little startled, maybe, but - "

"You should go back to bed for a bit, Honda-san. Surely it's far too early for you to begin breakfast?" Yuki teased softly.

Yawning suddenly, Tohru excused herself. "I suppose you're right. Well...goodnight, Yuki-san. Or is it 'good morning'?"

Yuki smiled, shook his head at her endearingly befuddled state, turned her around and gave her a gentle push towards the stairs. "Sleep well, Honda-san."

-

"_Eeeeeeeeeeeeek!"_

The shrill scream echoed throughout the house, and brought in short order, three panting, running males to the door of the laundry room.

"_Tohru!"_

"_Honda-san! What is it?"_

"You called, oh lovely Tohru-kun? Is lunch ready so soon?"

"Dumb dog," Kyou muttered, elbowing Shigure in the ribs as they crowded inside the laundry room.

"What's wrong, Honda-san?" Yuki asked, placing a hand on the girl's trembling shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you rush in here like that, they just startled me, is all!" Tohru said weakly, her face still a little pale.

"'They'? the three males said in unison.

"Oh! The babies!" Tohru elaborated perkily, and motioned to a bundle of sheets in a basket on the floor.

Confused, Yuki frowned - until his nose caught the scent of feral rat. He looked down cautiously, and saw a tiny, squirming bundle of naked baby rats nestled in a hollow in the linen.

"Ah, so that's what you were up to last night, Yuki-san," Shigure sing-songed dramatically, sounding disturbingly like Ayame. He nudged his shoulder with a wink.

"Helping Tohru-chan, _in-deed_."

As Yuki narrowed his eyes at the disgusting inference, and opened his mouth to coldly point out the obvious fact that there was no way he ever could have mated a feral rat - not to mention the number of _weeks_ it took for infants to grow - and Shigure very well knew it, Kyou took that oppurunity to sneer.

"Yeah, so that's why there were _two_ dirty rats in the house last night, huh, rodent? Now look what you've done - you're a _daddy_!"

"Yuki-kun is...a papa?"

The tiny, faltering voice brought all three pairs of eyes to Tohru, who was now holding the bundled sheet in her arms, the naked babies carefully cradled into a little nest in the center of it. She looked pale, and her eyes had gone swirly in shocked disbelief..

Yuki sighed, and knelt on one knee beside her as he rolled his eyes at a silently laughing Shigure. "No, I'm not a papa, Honda-san. These two shameless idiots are just making a joke at our expense. There is no way that even as a rat I could produce offspring with a feral rat."

"Oh." Tohru looked relieved for a moment - and then scarily dissapointed. Yuki didn't wish to dwell upon that disturbing fact.

"So...that rat from last night left her babies here? Oh...oh, no!"

Yuki sighed as Tohru's eyes began to well up. This was not going to be fun.

"The babies! What's going to happen to them! Their mama...their mama is..." she trailed off, looking at Yuki helplessly. "What are we going to do?"

Yuki was about to explain that, sadly, since they had lost their mother, the baby rats would most likely die of starvation, when Kyou stepped forward and snarled, "You aren't going to do anything! I'm going to get rid of them! Just hand 'em over, and you won't have to worry about it."

"Get rid of - ? _No_!" Tohru surprised them all by standing up and, still holding the sheet to her chest, running past them out onto the porch.

"What the hell was that all about?" Kyou snapped, scratching the back of his neck.

"Fool." Yuki shook his head. "You truly are a marvel of stupidity, cat. In only three sentences you told a girl who recently lost her own mother that those infant rats didn't have any reason to live since their mother was gone."

Kyou looked taken aback. Sputtering uselessly, he finally turned to Shigure and yelled, _" I didn't say that! He's just tryin' to make me look bad! I didn't _say_ that! _Did_ I say that!"_

"In essence, I'm afraid." Shigure hummed sadly.

"Yes. Not only that, but you further hurt her by inferring you would kill them. You should know by now that Honda-san has a deep and abiding love for _all_ living things."

_'Even you,'_ he added silently, watching as realization finally struck home, and the cat's eyes widened with the knowledge before they guiltily darted away.

"You are right, Yuki," Shigure nodded, eyes closed. "Look at how she treats Ayame-chan in snake form. _Oh_, to be so favored, to be able to rest inside those clothes against the warmth of such full, satiny flesh - _ow_!" He rubbed the stinging sides of his face, where Yuki and Kyou had slapped him simultaneously, and glared at them with dark eyes. "Now, now - was that physical violence upon my person really necessary?"

"Yes," the boys both answered fiercely in unison. For once they agreed on something.

-

TBC

-

A/N: This fic came about through a real-life experienceI had not too long ago- I thought the situation had some potential as a basis for a _Fruits Basket_ fic. This is my first _Fruits Basket_ story, so I'm not exactly sure where it's going, but I'm hoping there will be some pretty humorous moments coming up in it, what with Kyou hating rodents, and Tohru taking care of baby rats. There should be a lot of jealousy on his part, too, once Shigure starts teasing Yuki and Tohru about becoming young, unwed parents, LOL. I will try to keep it as close to the manga as possible. Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! - Shaynie

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_Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, or any characters from it. Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya, Hakusensha, Inc., and TOKYOPOP._


	2. Chapter 2

**Mouse Trap**

-

_II of ?_

-

Yuki and Kyou found Tohru outside, sitting on her knees beside Yuki's 'Secret Base'. The small babies were carefully covered by the sheet, and she was looking down at them with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Yuki couldn't help shooting the cat another disparaging glance as they both moved to stand beside her.

Kyou glowered at him, and looked away, thrusting his chin into the air.

Shaking his head, Yuki sighed and knelt on one knee next to the girl sitting so forlornly in the grass.

"Don't worry, Honda-san - no one is going to hurt the infants," he said soothingly, while darting a razor-edged glare of warning at the cat hovering above them.

"W-what?" Tohru blinked away a tear with a sniff, and looked over at him distractedly. "I'm sorry, I didn't think anyone was _really_ going to hurt them - they're just babies, after all. Who would hurt a baby?"

Tohru completely missed the way Kyou's skin turned sickly pale, and Yuki's expression went from one of anger to almost pity as he watched the cat turn his face away completely and uncomfortably scuff at the edge of the garden with the toe of his shoe.

Well, when she put it _that_ way...

Kyou probably wouldn't have given those baby nezumi a second thought if Tohru hadn't been around, Yuki mentally admitted. No doubt it was instinct - he _was_ the cat after all, and there was more than enough proof of that stemming from the fact that Kyou had been chasing _him_ for all these years...

"No one here, I'm certain," Yuki answered her question reassuringly.

"Nah, no one'll hurt 'em," Kyou finally agreed quietly, his face still hidden from their view. "But what the hell are _we_ gonna' do with 'em?" he asked impatiently.

The question was the same in Yuki's mind as he watched Tohru bite her lip and stare down at the babies in her lap.

"I-I dunno," the girl said quietly. "Do...do you think I could...keep them?" She looked over at Yuki and winced a little, and Yuki gave an inward cringe at the hope in her eyes.

Certainly they were all currently on school break, but taking responsibility for three newly born, tiny baby rats...it would be impossible, wouldn't it? Without their birth mother to feed them, it would be incredibly hard to provide them with the nutrients they needed to grow and live, espescially at this early stage - wouldn't it?

"I...really think they need my help," Tohru said, shifting as a breeze came up to gently and protectively re-cover the babies up with her hand.

Yuki found himself catching his breath at the sight of her touching so carefully and tenderly what most would consider to be worthless rodents. His cheeks burned a little as he quickly got back to his feet.

Perhaps he wasn't exactly immune to feeling the pull of his instincts, either.

"Honda-san, why don't we go back and talk over the matter with Shigure-san? It _is_ his house, after-all..."

-

"Ah, but what will people say? The scandal! Our innocent flower, Tohru, living in a house with three men, now a young, unwed mother...? And of course, I suppose, there'll be no hiding it - Yuki-kun will obviously be pointed out as the culprit - "

"_Who would point him out, no one knows about the curse, you stupid dog - "_

" - it's appalling, really - "

"_Would you stop acting like this is some kind of soap opera...?"_

"Hm, I really _should_ get in touch with Aya-chan - I know he'll want to be the first to congratulate the happy young couple, Yuki being his brother and all - he'll surely want to know he's become an _un-cle _- !"

"_Call him and you die."_

"Ah...! Ahem...yes, well, let's see the newest little additions to our happy family, then, shall we...?"

-

"Ah, geez - why do _I_ gotta' name one, for?"

Although Yuki was of the same opinion as the cat, in that he didn't think it was wise to name the infants so early when everything about their lives was so fragile and tentative, he didn't dare say anything to Tohru about it. Naming the rats made her happy, and appeared to give her a steadfast belief that they would grow and live.

Yuki sighed at a still-grumbling Kyou. "How would you have liked not being named? They may be rats, but no one wants to go around their whole life being called 'Hey You'. Besides, Honda-san asked you to name one, that is reason enough. Now think of a name and shut-up - if you make her cry again I'll make sure to hit you so hard you'll wake up in the fountain back at Sohma House."

"Fine, whatever," Kyou shocked him by saying sullenly. "As if you could, anyway." The cat furrowed his brow for a moment, studying the babies still squirming in the nest of linen while Tohru was off finding something more suitable at the pet store with Shigure.

"What about 'Jason'?" Kyou grumbled disinterestedly.

"Oh, yes - and why don't we just call the other two 'Freddy' and 'Michael' while we're at it?" Yuki said with heavy sarcasm. "Don't you have _any_ imagination?"

Kyou shrugged. "What's wrong with that?"

"They're the names of supernatural killers in horror movies, that's what's wrong! Baka neko."

"Yeah, so what? Like I woulda' known!"

Yuki rolled his eyes and stared down at the rats, trying to think...

"Oi, it just occured to me - how are we supposed to name 'em if we don't know what they are? Boy or girl, I mean," Kyou amended.

"I guess we could always just give them unisex names."

Yuki frowned a little, concentrating. "They are all females," he finally announced, straightening.

Kyou looked surprised. "What, they're talkin' to you already?"

"Of course not. I can just sense it." In truth the babies were projecting their thoughts, but it was a jumble of emotions, basically, like hunger and fear.

"They're frightened...and hungry," Yuki said aloud, tapping one finger against his silvery temple.

"I didn't _do_ anything!" the cat snarled, leaping up and away from his sitting position at the table where the babies rested.

Yuki actually felt a little sorry for the cat.

"I _know_ you didn't do anything! It's not like they can help being afraid of you - they smell cat! Cats are a rats natural enemy. They'll get used to your scent in time. _I_ got used to your stench, didn't I?"

"You're askin' for it, Bright-boy!"

"Yes, well, it will have to wait," Shigure's cheery voice came from the open doorway.

"Hi! We're back!" Tohru said brightly, arms hung with bags, and cheeks warm and ripened by the summer sun.

Kyou snorted, but stood down, relaxing slightly. "What'd you guys do, buy out the entire pet store? We only have three rats."

"You know, it _is_ odd, a litter this small," Yuki interjected. "Female rats can have up to twenty babies in a litter in a month."

Tohru's eyes widened. "T-twenty? Oh...well, I guess we're lucky then!"

"Boy, you rodents sure know how to get busy," Kyou chortled lowly for Yuki's ears only.

Yuki struggled not to punch out the cat while Shigure deposited a large mesh wire cage on the floor next to the table.

"You're going to put 'em in a cage?' Kyou asked suddenly, looking rather vehement about the idea.

Unbelievably, Yuki found himself feeling another surge of pity for the hated cat.

"Oh, it's just until they're old enough to be released back into the woods," Tohru was quick to explain. "Shigure said Yuki might be able to teach them how to be more self-reliant as they grow, so they can handle themselves in the wild again."

"Oh, really?" Yuki shot a dirty look at the dog, who was hiding a childish laugh behind the sleeve of his summer yukata.

"Oh, can't you, Yuki-kun?"

"Ah..." Yuki slumped a little at the anxious look on Tohru's face. "I'll do my best, Honda-san."

"No, no! I took you for granted, Yuki-kun, I'm sorry! I didn't think - "

"It's alright, Honda-san. You know I'll help as much as I can."

"B-but - "

"Oi, according to the rat these kids are starving, so let's feed 'em already!" Kyou interrupted.

"Oh, right! We brought soy baby formula from the store - "

"I'm on it," Shiure said, lifting a bag of powder in cans. They watched, bemused as the dog disappeared into the kitchen, humming to himself.

"He can't mix that by himself - he might poison it," Kyou said darkly.

"He'll be fine - even _that_ idiot can use a measuring cup," said Yuki.

"He was so great at the pet store! He asked a lot of questions I never even thought of!"

"That's unusual."

"Um...did you think of any names while we were gone?" Tohru asked.

"Yes, did you, Cat?"

Kyou scowled at the rat. "Yoshiko."

"Free-child." Shigure hummed, nodding in approval as he returned to the room with three tiny feeding bottles.

"That's...so lovely, Kyou-kun," Tohru sniffled, blinking away tears.

"Original," Yuki agreed flatly.

"Yeah, well, what's yours?" Kyou asked challengingly.

"Gina," Yuki announced thoughtfully.

Tohru gasped. "Oh, that's beautiful, Yuki-kun! It means 'silvery', doesn't it?"

"I thought it was fitting," Yuki said, a bit flattered by her response.

"Which name did you choose, Tohru-kun?" Shigure asked.

"Oh, um, Natsumi. It's 'beautiful summer' I think."

"I like it," Yuki smiled approvingly.

"Yes, um, Ayame-san recommended it! He has such good taste in everything - "

"Ayame?" The two boys exclaimed in unison. They both turned on Shigure with hell in their eyes.

"The pet store was nearby - I couldn't just walk past Aya's without sticking my head in, it would have been rude. And, he never would have forgiven me!" Shigure said dramatically.

"What did you tell him?" Yuki demanded.

"Nothing, nothing! Just that we were adopting three infants."

"_YOU WHAT!"_

"Don't worry, Yuki-kun, he doesn't _know_ they're yours," Shigure said in a loud stage-whisper.

Kyou started a mean-spirited laughter as Yuki turned bright red.

"He said he'd be by for a visit tomorrow sometime," Shigure continued, handing Tohru the bottles. "He wanted to bring something for Tohru, anyway - probably a tokenof congratulations on becoming a new mother!"

Yuki choked. "Kill...you," he croaked.

"Oh! _Y-Yuki! _You're turning blue!"

"Don't worry, he'll live," Kyou waved a dismissive hand. "So, what do we gotta' do to get this stuff ready for the chibi-Yuki's?"

That comment made Shigure laugh out-loud, and Tohru temporarily forgot about the rat's distress as she told Kyou about the tips the people at the pet store had given them.

Kyou only grunted in response as he tugged open a bag of wheatgrass bedding and carefully formed a comfy nest for the babies in a corner of the cage.

Meanwhile, Yuki slowly recovered. "Fine, if my brother's coming tommorow, I'll just be sure to be out."

"The hell! You're not leaving me alone to deal with him!" Kyou snapped.

"It'd be a fitting punishment for you, cat!"

"Quiet, the two of you," Shigure reprimanded quietly. "How are the children supposed to gain their nourishment with you battling all the time? You'll end up giving them a nervous disposition."

"Children?"

"Are you nuts?"

"Oh, look! Natsumi is eating! I'm _so_ glad!" Tohru exclaimed, smiling at her brightest.

Kyou and Yuki cautiously approached the table where she sat, and looked over her shoulder. The tiny baby rat was indeed feeding ravenously.

"Time for you two to feed yours!" Shigure announced, pushing a bottle into their respective hands.

"What?" Kyou yelped.

Yuki swallowed and looked from his hand to the distressed baby - _Gina_ - and back again. His hand looked so large compared - what if he hurt her?

"Just hold her gently, like this," Shigure said, placing the rat in his hand and curling his fingers around her. "Don't drop her, now."

Yuki grimaced a little at the odd squirming against his palm, but then he saw the grouchy Kyou already feeding Yoshiko, and shook himself. If the stupid cat could do it, so could he.

Soon, all three of the babies were satisified and curled up against eachother in the soft wheatgrass.

"Aww, they're so cute!" Tohru giggled.

Kyou was looking over the cage in blatant disapproval. "Are you sure they can't get out? What if they squeeze through the grate somehow and fall?"

Tohru patted his hand. "Don't worry, they won't. I thought they might too, but the lady at the store assured me this was perfectly safe, even for babies!"

Blushing, Kyou stared at the hand the girl had patted, and Yuki couldn't help but feel a small surge of jealousy at the unintentional intimacy...

-

TBC

A/N: Hi, Shaynie, here! I hope you enjoyed the second chapter! Please let me know what you think!

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Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, or any characters from it. Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya, Hakusensha, Inc., and TOKYOPOP.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Mouse Trap**

-

_III of ?_

-

It was nearing midnight, but Tohru found she just couldn't get to sleep. She was too worried about the babies.

Were they alright? Or had they somehow managed to fall out of the cage? What if they'd gotten wheatgrass in their little mouths and choked? Were they still breathing? Were they feeling hungry, or alone? Or cold? Or maybe too hot? They were so small and helpless.

Tohru sighed worriedly and sat up in her bed.

Was this what it was like for her mother? Had she been constantly concerned that her baby daughter was in some kind of distress? Maybe this was what being a parent was all about.

The thought of taking care of the baby rats had been exciting, at first - it wasn't that she'd taken the responsibility lightly, it wasn't a game to her, oh, no, not at all - but this sense of _complete_ responsibility was downright terrifying!

Feeling a little panicked, her heart beating hard in her chest, Tohru slipped quickly out of bed, and opened her door, making her way downstairs as quickly - and quietly - as she could. She was just turning the corner into the main room from the hallway when she saw a shadow leaning over the rats cage. The unexpected sight made her quiver with fear for a moment before she realized it was Kyou, and she almost fell over in relief.

"Oh, you couldn't sleep either, huh?" Tohru asked in a soft voice, smiling as she stepped into the room. "I'm sorry, I hope I didn't startle you."

The cat didn't jump at all, nor did he turn from his silent vigil over the cage. Finally, he reached up to idly scratch his left shoulder through his plain white t-shirt. "Yeah, right, who d'you think you're talkin' to? You sounded like an elephant walkin' down those stairs. The people in Antartica probably heard you comin'."

Unoffended, Tohru gave a light laugh as she approched. "I'm sorry," she said in apology. "I didn't mean to make noise, but I just couldn't get to sleep - I wanted to make sure the babies were alright - I kept thinking of all these horrible things - "

"- that might happen to 'em?" Kyou unexpectedly finished for her. "Yeah, me too," he confessed grudgingly. "It's okay, I came to check on 'em, too," he admitted. Rolling his eyes as if in disgust with himself, he ran a hand through his rumpled ginger hair, scrubbing roughly. "But they're fine, y'know. Still sleeping, lazy rats."

"Oh? Still?" Tohru stepped forward in disbelief and peered through the cage at the sleeping bundle. "Huh. I guess babies do need a lot of sleep to grow."

"So does a certain girl I know," Kyou retorted. "Quit worrying about the rodents and go to bed. I'm not tired, so I'll hang out and watch 'em for a while - so don't worry, okay?" He looked at her a little anxiously, before blinking abruptly and scowling. "Not that I care if you do. Don't...don't go getting the wrong idea - "

"Huh?" Tohru frowned in confusion.

"Never mind," the cat exhaled harshly. "Just go to bed already."

"Um, Kyou-kun?"

"Yeah...?"

"..."

"_Well, what is it!"_

" Uh, sorry - ! It's just, I don't think I'll be able to sleep away from them just yet! Do you think...maybe I could stay here with you and watch them for a while?"

Kyou's fierce eyes widened suddenly in the dim light before he quickly turned away. "Fine. If you don't trust me - "

"Oh, no!" Tohru was horrified that she'd led him to believe such a thing! "Kyou-kun, _no_, it's not that at all! Pleasedon't think that, I was just concerned, is all, I'm being selfish, I just wanted to stay because being near them makes _me_ feel better, I _do_ trust you, I swear! I'd trust you with my _life_, Kyou-kun!"

Kyou turned around to look at her, gaping slightly before he ducked his head. "I...whatever," he said, sounding too dejected for Tohru's comfort. He nodded towards the kotatsu. "Just go sit down and be quiet - you don't wanna' wake the babies up, do ya?"

"Oh, no - !" Clamping her lips shut, Tohru tip-toed to the low table and sat on one of the cushions.

Kyou shook his head at her exaggerated motions and stood over the cage for a few more moments before surprising her by coming over and sitting down across the wide table from her.

Tohru watched him for a while, curious about his behavior, and he looked at her, solemnly, his crimson eyes catching the moonlight oddly and reflecting it back at her in an unsettlingly animalistic way. It was like watching a flashlight bounce off a mirror. She would have been scared if she hadn't known it was him.

After several long minutes, Tohru yawned, swaying a little.

Kyou sighed, and said bluntly, "I'm bored." He had one knee raised up, and was plucking aimlessly at the fabric of his black sweatpants.

Tohru snapped to attention, her long hair sliding over her pink pajama-clad shoulders. "Um, we could play a card game if you want, I suppose. That's pretty quiet."

"Yeah, I guess," Kyou said, sounding utterly disinterested. But he didn't complain when she got up to retrieve the cards.

Halfway through a game of Revolution, Tohru paused and gave him a great big, happy smile. She felt so content...and safe.

"This is great, isn't it, Kyou-kun? Just like a sleep-over?"

Kyou gave her a funny look. "Yep, except I'm not a _girl_."

Tohru laughed cheerily, smiling so big that her eyes were practically squinting shut. "Well, that's lucky for you, then! At least you don't have to worry about being the first to fall asleep, and then finding your bra in the freezer in the morning!"

Kyou dropped all of his cards. His little orange cat ears appeared out-of-nowhere and stuck up on his head, and he put both hands flat on the table as he leaned forward and gave her a beady-eyed stare. "I don't hafta' _what_!"

Tohru giggled. "Oh, its Uo-chan - ever since we became friends, and started having sleepovers, she does that! It's just a joke, really! I'm always the one to fall asleep first, so - " she shrugged. "Mom actually did it to _her_ the first time, that's where she got the idea - "

"Your _MOM_?" Kyou nearly shouted, looking shocked and outraged at the idea.

"Uh-huh," Tohru said, unaffected. It was obviously a fond memory for her. "Mom was always doing funny stuff like that!"

"_Funny_...? Are you stupid?"

Tohru looked at him. "Huh?"

Kyou was shaking his head again, a flush highlighting his cheeks. "Nevermind. Are ya' gonna' sit there all night, or what? It's your turn."

"O-Oops! Okay!"

-

And so, that was how they were found, feeding the baby rats early the next morning, by none other than Ayame, Shigure, and a staggering, sleepy Yuki.

"Oh, my poor, dear little brother! It seems Kyonkichi has beaten you to the chase! My heart weeps for your loss, my most favored sibling of all!" the snake declared with a spectacular toss of his long, almost labrynthine braid of hair. "But don't worry - I still burn with my love for you!"

"He's your _only_ sibling, you moron," Kyou growled sluggishly as he stood up. His backbone made an unhappy crackling noise as he gave an almost impossible cat-like stretch, and a drowsy, raw-eyed Tohru looked at him with a concerned wince - which the others did not fail to catch.

Yuki was still half-asleep, but he was looking a little hurt - and a bit angry. "Why didn't you wake me? I would have been more than happy to help out - Gina _is_ my responsibility, after all," he said with a pointed glance at the baby cradled in Kyou's hand.

"Get off my case! It's not my fault you were too lazy to get up and check on 'em yourself! Or maybe you just didn't care if they went hungry or not!" Sensing a fight coming on, he carefully put the rat back in its nest in the cage, a gentle movement that was totally at odds with his rising temper, and which, again, was not lost on the others present.

There was a flash of guilt in the rat's eyes before he turned to Tohru and apologized.

"Oh, it's okay, Yuki-san! I know how soundly you sleep! Really, I didn't even expect Kyou-kun to be up at all!"

"Yeah, it's just that some of us have too many things to think about. Guess it must be nice to sleep so good - not a worry in the world, huh, Rat?" Kyou taunted.

"Oh? And what is it, exactly, that you 'think' about, Cat? Nothing too straining, I suppose, considering your brain is the approximate size of a flea," Yuki uttered flatly.

Kyou snapped, his fists already up as he leaned toward the other boy, his red face clashing with his orange hair. _"Oh, it's on, Rodent-Boy!"_

Yuki stepped forward, only to run right into his older brother's back, which was covered in the usual resplendent silk fabric, bright indigo-blue this time with an intricate embroidery of peacock-flowers in shimmery gold, through-out.

With a sigh, Yuki backed off, closing his eyes in self-defense. While he had to admit, his brothers style was beautiful and elegant, the color was too much for him to handle up-close this early in the morning.

"I'm sorry, Kyonkichi, but I'm afraid I cannot allow the two of you to fight while I am in residence - the violence causes my delicate stomach such upset, you'll never know! On top of that, I had such a difficult time waking myself this morning - such it is, for those sleeping the sleep of the Just, I say - the heat is _so_ oppressive, it was weighing me down, and what the humidity has done to my hair, oh, I don't think I could withstand another debacle - "

"Outta' my way, Snake!"

"No." Ayame leaned down, looking deep into the cat's eyes, so deep Kyou blushed and stepped back - at which point Ayame smiled so much that his eyes nearly closed, and he reached up and affectionately flicked Kyou's nose with his pointer finger.

_Poink!_

The noise was loud in the suddenly silent room. Kyou blinked, lips lowering over his bared fangs - and he huffed, the tension draining off of him, but only until he recalled what the snake had been saying.

"_Oh, hells_ _no_, you better not be tellin' me you're stayin' over again!"

Ayame pouted. "Why? What's wrong with my little visits, Lucky-Kyou?"

"Yes, Aaya-chan is so much fun to be around!" Shigure mock-sobbed in defense.

"Stop callin' me that!" Kyou growled - if he had had fur just then, it would have been rippling and standing up all over his body in outrage. He looked at Shigure in accusation. "Are you kidding! The last time he was here, it took me _two_ _hours_ to clean all of the hair out of the shower and sink drains! He may as well have stuffed 'em full of rope!"

Ayame looked aghast as he lifted the back of one hand to his forehead. "Oh, how cruel of you to remind me of my molting season, Kyonkichi! Dear, dear...I _had_ been trying to forget that awful weekend - how humiliating! I looked absolutely dreadful! Just _dreadful_!"

"Oh, Aaya, you could _never_ look dreadful!" Shigure claimed passionately.

"_I thought snakes shed their skin, not their hair," _Yuki said in a low monotone in the bakground. Noone seemed to notice.

"Well, if ya' knew you were 'molting', what the hell did ya' come over here, for?" Kyou demanded.

"I just couldn't give up an opportunity to be close to my Yuki, now could I? I get to see him so rarely, after all - you really shouldn't be so selfish, Lucky-Kyou, but then I guess _you_ can afford to be since you get to sleep next to him _and_ Shigure, _and_ Tohru, night after night!"

"Yeah, in _seperate_ rooms!" Kyou bellowed, a red vein popping out on his forehead.

"You make it sound so dirty, Aaya," Shigure almost giggled, nudging his cousin with an elbow.

"Yes, I know," Ayame declared mischieviously, bringing up one elegant hand to 'hide' his chortle of laughter. "Forgive me!"

"Well, you better not think you're gonna' sleep in my room, again!"

Ayame tilted his head and gave the cat his most engaging look, the one that was usually reserved for Shigure. The room all but sparkled in his presence. "Oh, but dear Kyonkichi, I slept so well lying next to you! It was so restful! Yes, yes, _truly_, you were the sweetest armful I've had in an eternity - !"

Kyou and Yuki's mouths dropped open, and Tohru had delicate pink creeping into her cheeks. The only sound that could be heard was from the cicadas chirping outside.

"Oh, u-um," the girl finally stuttered, hands fluttering around her heated face.

"Oh, don't look like that, Gure-san! It was completely innocent - no need to be jealous," Ayame crooned.

"_Oh, Aaya!" _Shiure sang, dark eyes glistening with gratitude and worship.

"_Gure-san..."_

"Hell, I'm gonna' throw-up." Kyou announced.

Ayame only smiled, and then he suddenly sighed, placing a slender hand over his abdomen. "Forgive me! My stomach is growling! How embarassing! I _knew_ I should have bought some fresh-baked jelly-buns on the way over - I feel like I'm going to transform from sheer starvation! I really should dine, post haste!" His stunning gold eyes shifted oh-so innocently to Tohru, who, despite her sleep-deprived state, immediately snapped to attention

"Oh, my," Shigure murmured weakly. "That hungry, Aaya?"

"_AAH! _Ayame-san is feeling weak! I'll go and start breakfast!" she fussed. Pausing, she looked over her shoulder with a sweet smile that had everyone entranced for a long moment. "I'm so excited you came, Ayame-san!" With that, she cheerily disappeared through the doors.

"Maybe you should make Mochi," Kyou muttered darkly after her departing form, slanting a narrow-eyed look Ayame's way as Tohru left the room.

"How mean, Kyou! You _know_ I choked on that at New Years - !"

"I _do_ know, that's why I suggested it!" Kyou snapped loudly.

" _- cruel, cruel, Kyonkichi's so cold!" _Ayame accused.

His cousin's flamboyant voice was enough to make his head ache. Kyou groaned. "Whatever, I'm goin' to get dressed." He started to leave, but paused long enough to send a warning glare at the snake. "And stay outta' my room, snake! Damn, your 'visits' are a pain in the ass!"

"He really has _no_ idea, does he Gure-san?" Ayame whispered naughtily behind his hand.

"Aaya, please, not in front of the children!" Shigure gasped, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Yuki stared at them blankly. "Now _I'm _going to throw-up."

-

TBC

-

A/N: Hi! Shaynie, here! Thanks SO much for the comments! (I feel so grateful...) LOL. Seriously, many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I hope you guys liked this chapter! Don't worry, Ayame will be in the next chapter again, and we'll get to see his reaction to Tohru and Yuki's 'babies', LOL. Don't forget, for those of you collecting the Fruits Basket manga, Volume 14 is coming out in August! I'm so excited (but the new volumes are SO hard to find)! Any further comments are appreciated!

-

Mochi - A sticky new years rice cake.

-

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, or any characters from it. Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya, Hakusensha, Inc., and TOKYOPOP.


	4. Chapter 4

**Mouse Trap**

-

_IV of ?_

_-_

"Well, I must say, Yuki, I can't find any resemblance to you in the infants - but then, they probably take after Tohru-kun's side of the family, yes? By the by, when are you two getting married? Waiting until after school, I hope, an education is _so_ important these days! And, of course, I will be creating Tohru-kun's glorious pricess-style wedding gown! Ah, it will be such a day of romantic fantasy, I can see it now - my dearest Yuki, dramatically clad in black silk - perhaps with just a _touch_ of silver - and innocent Tohru in purest white! I have this new fabric in from Milan that is absolutely to die for!"

"_Is he ever gonna' shut up?"_

"_Oh, u-um, ma-married? T-to Prince Yuki?"_

"_If he doesn't, I'll make sure to shut him up!"_

"I cannot believe it, my little brother, first a father, and now a husband! Won't it be grand - oh, but I have to call Hatori - !"

"_Don't you dare!"_

"Aaya, I think that perhaps the children are a bit young to be speaking of marriage - "

"_Yeah, you say that after you suggested the same thing the other day, hypocrite-Inu!"_

Ayame tapped his upper-lip thoughtfully. "Too young? Mmm. Perhaps you are right, Gure-san. You usually are. But they would make such a lovely couple, my Yuki and Princess Tohru, don't you think?"

Shigure gave an uncomfortable chuckle. "Ah-ha...lovely, yes - oh, my, look, breakfast is already on the table! Tohru-chan is such a miracle worker!"

"Yes, yes, she certainly is! Yuki will be indebted to you for life, Gure-san, for turning Tohru-chan into such a magnificent specimen of house-wife!"

"_A-ya-me - " _Yuki was growling under his breath.

Shigure sweat-dropped. "Oh, no, I'm afraid I can't take the credit for that! Tohru-chan was already such a good housekeeper when she first arrived here. Perhaps I just gave her the opportunity to polish her skills...?" the dog suggested.

"The opportunity to run herself into the ground, you mean," Kyou muttered sullenly as he took his seat at the table.

Tohru paused for a moment as she began to serve tea. "Oh, no, not at all! I'm happy to do anything to help out, really! Besides, the practice will come in handy one day when I...I get married. At least, I hope I will. Get married, that is. I want to be happy just like Mom and Dad were, and if I can be a good home-maker, I know I'll be even happier! I just hope I'm a good mother, you know?"

"Of course you'll be a good mother, Honda-san!"

"Heh, do you really think after the way you've taken care of everyone around you, that you won't be? You really _are_ stupid."

"Don't tell her _that_!"

"Why not? It's true. She _is_ stupid. She needs some self-confidence, is all."

"Well, she's not very well going to gain any with you insulting her like that, baka-neko!"

"Shut-up! I-I didn't mean it like that - !"

"Didn't you?"

"I-It's okay, Kyou, Yuki, really, I didn't take it that way, not at all! Oh..." Tohru's small, distressed cry was lost in the sudden melee. White-faced, she watched as Kyou dove for Yuki's throat, upsetting the table, and one-by-one, the carefully arranged dishes went flying, slow-motion, into the air - the carefully grilled and artfully presented Horse Mackerels, the delicately sliced rolled omelets, the dish of pickled cucumbers, radish, several little bowls of miso soup, and worst of all, the pot of the expensive green tea Shigure favored.

Tohru winced as an errant chopstick sailed past her cheek, and ducked to avoid a stream of still-steaming miso, and then yelped loudly and painfully as a cupful of hot tea landed on her lap, scalding her.

"Oh, dear, Tohru-kun! You've been burned!"

Tohru bit her lip as the burn began to fiercely sting. She took a helpless look at her soaked skirt, which she'd just recently changed into. "I...um...maybe, just a little. But I'll be okay!"

Yuki actually seemed on the verge of snarling. "Look what you did, you thoughtless punk! I told you what I'd do if you ever hurt her again!"

Kyou looked stricken, but stood his ground. It said a lot for his maturity that he stuck around instead of running away to the wilds like he would have in the past.

"Shut-up, bastard! It was an accident! You can hit me later - I'll - I'll go get her some ice!"

Ayame exploded into action as Kyou made for the kitchen. "Gure-san, quickly! Hand me that tea towel!"

"I'm sorry, I can't see, there was a piece of Daikon caught in my eye!" Shigure wailed dramatically, still clutching the watering eye with his hand. "Ow, it buuurns!"

"_Tch_ - Tohru-kun, you must get out of that skirt quickly!"Ayame insisted.

"H-huh? H-here?" the girl asked, wide-eyed.

Shigure abruptly stopped clutching his eye and managed a watery squint in her direction.

"NO. WAY!" Yuki shouted, a wild look of panic in his eyes.

"Such perverted thoughts at a time like this!" Ayame sighed anxiously, and pulled Tohru to her feet. "Yuki-kun carry her to the shower! Tohru-kun, soak in some cool water, while I call Hatori. Go now, quickly!"

-

"No blisters, that's good, and the swelling is slight. It looks like it's only a first degree wet burn. You're very lucky, Honda-san. I'll treat it with a topical spray, and leave it for you to use when the pain becomes uncomfortable. The swelling and redness should go away quickly, within a few days. You may not even be able to tell you were burned by this time tomorrow."

Sitting alone in her room with Hatori looking at her bare upper legs made her feel unbelievably shy and embarassed, and combined with the pain and lack of sleep, Tohru suddenly burst uncontrollably into sobs and tears. Her shower-damp hair slid forward to cloak her face, and she let it stay there.

"Honda-san?"

Tohru looked at him with a trembling lower lip. Startled, Hatori peered at her through his one good eye in concern, and that made her cry even harder.

"Are you in that much pain?"

Tohru just shook her head, unable to speak for the tightness of her throat.

Hatori didn't say anything, but looked as if he understood. Turning aside for a moment, he reached into his bag and produced a small can. He sprayed it over the affected areas on her thighs and then recapped it, setting it on her bedside table.

"It should numb the sting in a few moments," the doctor said quietly.

"T-thank you," Tohru choked out in a very small voice, ashamed of herself for losing control of herself in front of the stoic doctor like that.

"Ayame said you were awake all night? Something about those baby rats downstairs?"

Tohru nodded, feeling some of the tightness leave her throat. "Yes. I know it's silly, but I had to stay near them. I was too worried about them to stay away."

Hatori almost smiled. "It's not silly at all. But you do need to catch up on your sleep, Honda-san. I want you to stay in bed today, and let those legs heal. And you _need_ to sleep, understand?"

"Oh, but - "

"No. Doctor's orders. Let someone else take care of you for one day, Tohru Honda."

The door was suddenly thrown open, and Ayame and everyone else came storming in, arguing.

"What are you doing!" Kyou demanded, swiping the snake's now-loose hair out of his face as he followed him.

Yuki frowned at his brother as he ripped open Tohru's bureau drawer. "Ayame, put her clothes back!"

"No! I'm taking Tohru away!" Ayame said petulantly. "You obviously do not deserve her, and this senseless violence all the time is not good for her! She can stay with me from now on! Unlike the rest of you brutes, I know just how to take care of innocent flowers - _oh, tsk, Tohru-kun, we really must see about replacing your delicates, dearest! You really should have silk, not cotton against your tenderest of skin - ! I know, we shall go shopping in my store first thing tomorrow! I have a lovely stock of the sheerest lingerie - "  
_

Kyou choked. "No way in hell!"

"Over my dead body," Yuki said, his deadly calm voice at odds with the brewing storm in his eyes.

"Ayame." Hatori said in his quiet, but authoritative voice.

"Yes, Hatori-kun?"

"We should go now, and let Tohru rest. Why don't we go and look in on the rats for Honda-san? Kyou and Yuki can make her comfortable before they come back down."

Ayame actually looked like he might argue for a second, but then he sighed and replaced Tohru's clothes back into her drawer.

"All right, Tori-kun. But I absolutely will not leave Tohru-kun alone with these two until they promise not to fight around her again!"

Kyou and Yuki looked surprised. Gone was the flamboyant snake, and in his place was an unusually adamant and reserved...adult.

"You really think we would hurt her?" Kyou snapped.

Ayame turned angry golden eyes on him. "On purpose? No. But downstairs you did it all the same, because you couldn't control yourselves around a sweet young lady. She deserves better."

"Oh, and you think you're 'better?"

"Well," Ayame drawled, "_I_ certainly wouldn't fling hot liquids at her!"

"_How many times do I gotta' tell you, it was an accident!"_

"Yes, it was, and what if the next one causes her a broken bone? Or a serious head injury?" Hatori chimed in bluntly.

Ayame crossed his arms. "Promise me - no more fighting around Tohru-kun."

Kyou and Yuki looked at Tohru, sitting in her bed with the sheet so gingerly pulled over her lap, and looked at eachother, and then the floor.

"We promise."

-

Outside in the hall, Ayame looked at Hatori and smiled. "Do you think it will last?"

"I don't know," the dragon responded. "I hope so. I certainly don't need anymore house calls than I already have to deal with - oh yes, that reminds me, I should probably take a look at Shigure's eye before I leave."

"It's nice to be remembered," Shigure moaned pathetically in the background.

-

Ayame, surprisingly, ended up remaking the breakfast, and he brought some up to her on a gracefully arranged tray, complete with a glorious white flower. That sweet gesture alone brought Tohru to tears again.

"There, there, Tohru-dear, I know you're overcome by my generosity of spirit, but you must eat something, get a little sleep, and you'll feel so much better. Here, Tori sent these to help you rest, just these two, and just for today, don't worry." He handed her orange juice and two small blue tablets.

"Okay, thanks." Tohru swallowed the tablets, and then tucked into the food. She was really hungry.

"Wow, this is really great! I didn't know you could cook, Ayame-san!"

Ayame winked. "Don't let it get around too much! Yuki-kun will expect me to cook whenever we're together. It is another little known talent of mine, dear Tohru-kun, because I don't often make use of it! To tell the truth, I'm far too lazy to cook for just myself, so I usually just go out to eat."

"I'd cook for you anytime, Ayame-san!"

"Why thank you, Tohru-kun! To tell the truth yet again, I much prefer your cooking to mine. Compared to your delightful meals, my efforts are quite mediocre!"

"Oh, not at all! This omelet is much fluffier than mine - how did you get it this way?"

"Milk instead of water, except wresting the carton from Kyou-kun was quite the hassle, I must admit."

Tohru smiled widely. "Well, the result was worth the effort!"

"I thought so too," Ayame agreed shamelessly, and they both laughed.

Not too long after, Tohru began to get sleepy, and Ayame left her with a fond 'goodnight' even though it was still technically morning.

Cheered, and reassured that the babies would be looked after, Tohru drifted into a deep, restful sleep, resolving all the while to make sure Kyou and Yuki were both okay as soon as she woke up. Kyou, espescially - she never wanted to see that expression of self-loathing on his face ever, ever again...

-

TBC

-

A/N: Hi, me again! Sorry the chapter took a little bit more serious turn than I expected! The humor and just a teensy bit of romance should pick up in the next chapter. I also know that Ayame is a bit OC, considering we all know he's probably never lifted a finger in a kitchen in his entire life, LOL. I just thought it would make a nice twist, just this once. And _please_ don't think that I'm putting Tohru down by having her state that she'll be happy just being a 'house-wife'. I'm pretty sure she herself states that she's not really interested in going to college somewhere in the manga. Anyway, I sincerely hope the chapter was to your liking! Thanks so much for your comments! - Shaynie

_P.S. Daikon is radish, if anyone is curious! _

-

_Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, or any characters from it. Fruits Basket is the property of Natsuki Takaya, Hakusensha, Inc., and TOKYOPOP._

_-_


	5. Chapter 5

Mouse Trap

_-_

_V of ?_

_-_

Within a few days after the breakfast incident, Tohru had all but forgotten her pain. Especially since the babies were growing so quickly - they had all opened their eyes, and were actually moving around their cage! It was all so exciting - but still a little scary. The little rats were still completely dependent on them for food, and the idea of returning them 'to the wild' was more than a little worrying for Tohru.

On top of that, Tohru was still concerned about Kyou - he'd pretty much been avoiding her, and Yuki, too, for that matter. He'd still help with the rats, and do his part, but somehow managed it all without any of them being around. Tohru barely even saw him at meals!

One early morning, while Tohru was marveling over the sudden appearance of silky coats of fur on the rats, Kyou walked into the room. He was carrying a bottle of soy formula, and a tiny bowl of puppy kibble, soaked in milk, and he almost dropped it when he saw her.

Tohru smiled. "Oh, Kyou-kun! You're awake!"

Kyou recovered quickly, and looked past her, his expression sullen. "Yeah, so are you. What's your point?"

Oblivious to his surly manner, Tohru looked back at the cage. "Look!" she pointed. "See? They have fur coats, now! They look like they're covered in velvet!"

Kyou approached her side cautiously, and his eyes lit up when he looked inside the cage. "Hey, yeah, look at that! Guess we don't hafta' worry about 'em gettin' cold anymore, huh?"

"Nope!" agreed Tohru proudly. "And, look - they all look a little different, so we can tell them apar - " she turned her head to look back at him, and almost bumped her nose right into his. Surprised, she drew in a quick breath, but her mind went blank when he looked directly into her eyes.

"Listen," he said, his warm breath brushing her cheek, "I'm sorry."

Tohru blinked. "Huh?" _Sorry? Sorry for what?_

"Y'know, about you gettin' hurt an' all. It was my fault, an'...I'm sorry," he mumbled, lashes dropping half-mast over his crimson eyes as they darted guiltily away from her.

Tohru shook her head, trying to find her tongue. "Oh, um, I...you don't have to apologize, really! It was an accident!"

"Don't be stupid," he half-snarled, glaring back at her. "I hurt you!"

"B-but you didn't mean to!" Tohru stammered, inching back a little despite herself.

"Just accept the stinkin' apology already!" Kyou said with a long-suffering groan.

"O-okay!" she squeaked, nodding jerkily.

Kyou sighed. "Thanks...I think," he said softly, backing off.

Still shaky from the intense emotions brought on by his closeness, Tohru yelped when he touched her hand, pushing the rat food into it.

"Sorry, I hafta' get out for a while - can you do this for me today?"

Nodding again, Tohru numbly closed her fingers around the bowl and bottle, and didn't blink again until the cat left the room.

_-_

Almost two weeks later, things were still awkward between them, but at least Kyou had started staying around more often again.

They were feeding the rats a more solid diet now, including some vegetables the pet store owner had recommended. Soon, the babies would be big enough to go out on their own, but first Yuki had to help them learn to forage for food - quite a task for a rat who wasn't even a rat most of the time, and didn't even have to live in the wild.

"Um...maybe they would pay more attention to you if you were, you know...in your rat form?" Tohru suggested with a blush when the rats stared at Yuki blankly as he awkwardly tried to speak to them.

Yuki blinked, then considered for a moment. "Oh, may... may I...hug you, then, Honda-san?"

"Oi, whaddya' gotta' hug _her_ for?" Kyou sniped from where he lounged on the tatami cushions at the table.

"Idiot. Do you see any other females in this house?"

Kyou smirked. "Heh, with your pretty boy face, I got confused for a second. Can ya' blame me?"

"Oh? Do you think I'm beautiful, then?" Yuki gently taunted, watching the cat unblinkingly.

Kyo sat straight up, fire burning in his eyes. "T-that's disgusting! You know I didn't mean that! Damn, you piss me off!"

"_Bo-ys, _you're doing it again!" Shigure sing-songed as he drifted by the door into the living area.

"He started it!" Kyou growled.

"Step outside and I'll be happy to finish it, Cat! It shouldn't take more than a moment or two," Yuki stated coolly.

"Yeah, you just go right ahead and transform, Rat, and _I'__ll _hug her, and we'll see how long ya' last that way! I wouldn't sully my mouth with the taste of ya', but you'd be great for sharpening my claws on!" Kyou snarled.

In the cage, the rats started squeaking, as if in protest, and Tohru made a sound of distress.

Sighing in disgust at the cat, Yuki suddenly reached out and tugged Tohru into his arms.

A loud pop cancelled out Kyou's shout of outrage, and when the smoke cleared, the small white Yuki-rat clung haphazardly to Tohru's bodice.

"Could you put me down, Honda-san?" Yuki said weakly, his small paws scrabbling even as a tiny blush lit his face under his silvery-white fur.

"Oh, Y-yuki-san!" Tohru cupped him in her hands and swiftly set him down in front of the open door into the cage.

"Thanks," the rat said, sighing in relief.

"Don't move, Rat." Kyou suddenly said, his voice low and intense.

Yuki scowled, and turned away from the cage. He'd just been getting the babies attention, _finally_. "What is it, now...oh, dear."

"Huh? Oh, don't worry, it's just a cat, Kyou! He probably just came to see you!" Tohru said cheerfully upon seeing a strange cat standing at the open door to the outside garden.

"Nuh-uh. _He's _hungry - and he didn't come to see me - he came to hunt rats." Kyou said quietly, beginning to inch toward the other cat.

Yuki began breathing hard, and his tail twitched as he tried to hold still where he stood in front of the baby rats before the cage.

The fat gray cat suddenly pounced, snatching Yuki, who yelped then went limp. The cat took off out the door with his prize, eluding Kyou's grab.

"Hey, you little shit, get back here with my rat!" Kyou yelled furiously after the mangy stray cat.

"OH! Y-YUKI!" Tohru was utterly freaked out by the situation. "What do I do? What - oh, Shigure-san!" she yelled as the dog traipsed past the door again, his glasses almost falling off his nose. "I-It's terrible! Yuki-san's been kidnapped!"

Shigure didn't look overly concerned. "Hm, don't you mean rat-napped?"

"Shigure, you ass!" Kyou yelled.

"He transformed, and a stray cat snatched him and took off outside with him!" Tohru nearly shouted. "Help!" Thinking quickly, she closed the cage door. It wouldn't do for the babies to get lost, too.

"Oh, my! I do hope he hasn't been devoured - how ever would I explain it to Akito?" Shigure murmured.

"Aw, hell! You're no help! Tohru?"

"Y-yes?" Tohru turned to face Kyou and gasped as he enfolded her in a tight embrace, her face tucked against his throat. Almost immediately there was a loud pop, and orange smoke colored the air.

Before a shocked Tohru could set the cat that had appeared in her arms, down, Kyou leapt out of her embrace and onto the floor, racing out the door onto the porch and around the corner at lightspeed, claws scratching into the boards.

Left holding Kyou's still-warm clothes, Tohru blushed at the look of humor in Shigure's dark eyes, and took off after him.

Shigure shook his head and headed back the way he'd come for his newspaper, humming to himself.

"They both seem to have forgotten he'll change back in just a few minutes...what a surprise that cat will get...oh, well, any excuse to hug Tohru-kun, I guess. Can't blame them, heh..."

-

"Drop him, you fat old flea-bag!" Kyou snapped, a low growl issuing from his chest.

The big, old, gray tomcat hissed, revealing only one front fang, and backed further up the tree, Yuki dangling helpless and unconscious from his mouth.

Kyou followed, never backing down or taking his eyes from the cat in front of him. The hair on the ruff of his neck stood straight up, his back was arched threateningly, and his tail stood defiantly in the air behind him.

"Come on, you old bastard, let him go - oh, you wanna' fight? Fine with me, I got all day!" Kyou swiped at the other cat with long, bared claws, and the tom made a wicked noise of warning in his throat, backing even farther up into the tree. When he suddenly turned tail and bounded up into the branches, out of their sight, Kyou cursed and scrambled up the trunk after him.

With Kyou's clothes laid across her arms, hands fisted and pressed against the base of her chin, Tohru waited helplessly as the cats chased through the huge tree, knocking leaves loose and scaring birds from their nests. Kyou was cursing and complaining the whole time, and some of what he said made her ears burn.

Finally, there was a loud hiss and a cat spitting, and the old gray Tom fell out of the tree only to land roughly on it's feet. After a stunned moment, it growled again, and took off running, back through a gap in one of the bamboo fences where it presumably must have gotten in in the first place.

Kyou made a harsh noise in the tree, and Tohru turned back to watch in concern.

Cat-Kyou was slowly climbing/sliding down the steep tree trunk, claws scrabbling for purchase, and he had the Yuki-rat dangling out of his mouth by his long tail. He looked like he was still unconscious.

"Oh! Be careful, Kyou-kun!"

The orange cat rumbled out of the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, yeah, I got 'im."

Once he got to the ground, he staggered a little, and Tohru rushed forward to pick him up. He didn't protest as she carried both him and Yuki back inside the house, and that scared her.

-

Kyou's side was bleeding from a nasty scratch he'd gotten from the other cat, and his furry sides were heaving with exertion. Tohru held a still-but-breathing Yuki gently in one palm, and stroked the bloody cat with the other, earning an all-over body shiver and a narrow-eyed glare from Kyou.

"Take care of that idiot, I'm fine," the cat blurted breathlessly, streaking away from Tohru's gentle touch to the other side of the room, but not before grabbing his clothes in his teeth and dragging them with him.

"B-but Kyo-kun, you're bleeding!" Tohru protested.

"This'll be nothin' when I change back," Kyou insisted, unable to stifle the urge to give his sore side a swift lick. Somehow, his face managed to look embarassed when he realized what he'd just done, and Tohru quickly looked away, biting her lip against a smile. He was so cute!

"You better put him down before he changes back," the cat cautioned as he arranged his discarded clothes and lowered his head to nose and paw through them until he put his head through his t-shirt neck. The fabric draped off one cat-ear, looking adorable, until Kyou suddenly changed back into a boy with a pop.

_Eeeping_, Tohru looked away and carefully set Yuki down, watching him in concern until he, too, suddenly changed back.

"Yuki-san, you're awake!"

Yuki cleared his throat, making Tohru duck her head away.

"Are you okay?"

Yuki quickly grabbed up his clothing. "I'm fine."

Tohru blushed a little as Kyou yanked his shirt completely over his head, mussing his hair. He'd pulled on his pants while she was looking at Yuki. "So, what, you were playin' dead this whole time?!"

"Yes," Yuki said shortly, pulling on his shirt.

Kyou fixed him with a fierce crimson glare. "Dirty coward! I don't even know why I bothered goin' after you!"

"If playing dead to stay alive is the coward's way, then yes, I guess I _am_ a coward," Yuki admitted, straightening his hair. "If you had known I was conscious, you probably would have taken advantage of my form to do me some terrible harm - don't bother to deny it."

Grumbling, Kyou turned away to storm out the doors, but Yuki's voice stopped him.

"_However_ - if I'm not too proud to admit being a coward, I'm not too proud to say 'thank you'."

Tohru held her breath, eyes shining as Kyou hesitated and turned back to look at Yuki in disbelief.

The rat took a deep breath. "I'm willing to admit you 'may' have saved my life," Yuki acknowledgeed, albeit grudgingly. "Thanks."

Heart racing with hope, Tohru almost burst into tears as Kyou stared at the rat for a long, tense moment, then simply nodded his acceptance and abruptly left the room.

"That was a very nice thing you did, Yuki-san," Tohru said, watching the rat's suddenly closed expression. He turned his head to look at her, and then suddenly graced her with a rare smile.

"Thank you, Honda-san...but I'm afraid I wasn't being nice - just honest."

"H-huh?"

"He did the right thing...so I did, too." Yuki looked back the way the cat had gone, and then turned back to the rat cage. "Maybe we should try this again - with the door closed this time."

Tohru gave a little laugh at the dryness of his tone before carefully sliding the exterior shoji doors shut and joining him at the cage.

-

Watching through the interior doors as the rat hesitantly but willingly embraced a red-faced Tohru and transformed again, Kyou felt a furious surge of jealousy.

Who was that rat thinking he was? How many times was he gonna' wrap his rotten arms around Tohru today?! Hmph! Those babies made a awfully nice excuse for the bastard to feel her up, didn't they?

Grinding his teeth as he saw the rat hop inside the cage, Kyou clenched his fists. The babies made straight for him, draping themselves over the bigger white rat, stretching contentedly across the top of his head. Yuki was laughing, Tohru was giggling, the babies were obviously in love...

Kyou felt suddenly very left out - and hurt. Hadn't he been the one to come and stay up with the babies all night since Tohru had brought them in? Now here Yuki was, ursurping his place, both with the rats, _and_ Tohru. He should have let the bastard get eaten, earlier, after all.

Unable to listen to the happy conversation in the room, Kyou backed away, feeling more than a little resentful. Angry and wounded, he quickly left the house, heading into the woods to find some peace and quiet, and brood over Tohru.

-

It was cool, and damp thanks to a brief thunderstorm early that evening, and dinner was being prepared when Tohru realized how quiet the house had become. Biting her lip, she left the kitchen to seek out Kyou and Shigure. The dog was in his office, snoring quietly behind a section of newspaper, but Kyou wasn't anywhere to be found.

Feeling guilty, because she hadn't spoken to Kyou since the disaster with the other cat, she went outside into the gray night settling over her to see if he was around, and almost bumped into him coming back up the garden path from the woods. Steam was still rising from where the cold rain had struck the summer-hot ground, and the slight mist made Kyou's shadow hard to see as the darkness continued to fall.

Tohru's heart leapt in her chest when his hands shot out to grab her upper-arms and straighten her before she knocked completely into him and fell. Startled, she looked up into his face and swallowed when she saw the soft glow of his unusual cats' eyes in the gloom. He tilted his head slightly to look at her, and the light from the inside of the house caught his eyes, making them glint red.

"O-oh, Kyou-kun! There you are! I was worried about you when I couldn't find you. Um...how's your side?"

Kyou made a small sound, almost a sigh, she thought, and he seemed to slump a little.

"M'fine," he muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, are you sure? B-because, I mean, I could look at it, if you want - it might get infected if it isn't treated properly, and I - "

"Geez, I said I'm fine!" he snapped sharply, and Tohru jumped a little when she saw the sharp curve of one fang gleam out at her.

Kyou snarled at her reaction, smelling the spike of fear, and then suddenly stepped around her, gracefully leaping up onto the porch leading into the house. "Quit worryin' about it, okay?" he said in a much gentler voice a long moment later. "I'll be alright."

Confused by his behavior, as usual, Tohru took a deep breath and tried to smile. "Okay. Um, dinner will be ready in about an hour, if you want some."

He looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes now hidden by his orange hair. "Sure," he said quietly, and then walked inside.

Left alone, Tohru frowned, listening as he climbed up the stairs inside, much slower than he usually did.

-

Kyou had been caught in the sudden downpour earlier, and even after he dragged himself upstairs to change, and came back down, he was still slumped over the table in the living room, eyes half-closed, and chin resting on his folded forearms.

Tohru was still watching him worriedly as she sat across from him watching the T.V. with Yuki, and jumped up suddenly when he closed his eyes all the way and gave a tired, all-over shiver.

"I'll get some tea!"

Kyou only opened one bleary eye to look at her. "Don't bother, I don't want any," he mumbled weakly.

"Don't be rude!" Yuki scolded from across the table, not bothering to look away from the T.V.

The cat gave a low growl. "Shut-up...Rat," he muttered angrily, but without his usual vigor.

"Come on, Kyou-kun...I'll even make sure to put a little milk in it, just for you," Tohru cajoled sweetly, with no idea how her offer was affecting the cat.

"Whatever," Kyou finally said moodily, just to get her to leave so he could recover himself.

Satisfied with his answer, Tohru left the room to get the tea, and check on dinner. While she was in the kitchen, the rain began again, this time a gentle but steady summer shower.

It was full nightfall by the time the rain stopped, and the clouds moved away to reveal the bright moon.

In the living room, Kyou breathed in the damp air coming through the open doors, and then flicked open one eye to peer at the cage across the room. Concerned the babies would get cold from the breeze, he dragged himself up and staggered over to the cage, tossing a large, strawberry-print towel over it. The familiar scent coming from the fabric gave him pause, and he almost missed what the rat said.

"You know, Cat, you could stand to treat Honda-san with a little of that kind of concern and consideration," Yuki commented over the quiet background T.V. noise from behind him.

"Yeah, this from the guy who hugged her 'twice' today!" answered Kyou viciously as he turned on the rat.

Yuki's cheeks actually turned red. "Out of necessity! _You_ hugged her too!"

Kyou made disgusted noise. "Don't make it sound like you hated it, liar!"

"I-I wasn't - " Yuki sputtered.

"Aw, no fair! You guys have been hugging Tohru all day, and I haven't even gotten to say 'Hi'!"

Kyou froze at the youthful enthusiasm of the new voice, and then groaned. "Oh, hell. What are _you_ doing here?"

"Well, at least it's not Nii-san..." Yuki muttered under his breath.

"Oh, Momiji-kun! Hello!" Tohru squeaked happily as she re-entered the room with a tray of tea. She barely set the tray aside before she was attacked.

"Tohru-kun! I've missed you! My turn!" Momiji flung himself into the girls arms before either of them could stop him, and in seconds the smoke cleared and Tohru was sitting on the floor holding a cuddle-happy bunny.

"Aw, I've missed you too, Momiji-kun!" Tohru said a little shakily after she recovered.

The cream-colored rabbit twitched his ears joyfully, making Tohru laugh.

"Do I get a hug, too?" came a quiet, almost emotionless voice from the doorway.

Hatsuharu stood there, deceptive in his stillness, framed in the doorway against the moonlight, his dual-colored hair shifting with the summer breeze.

"Oh, Hatsuharu-kun..." Tohru's face turned a deep pink even as Kyou stepped out in front of her, one fist raised in threat.

"Hell, no! Don't you touch her! If you do, I'll kick you in the happy sacks so hard you won't be able to walk for a week!"

The change in the ox's demeanor was dark and swift. A sharpness that wasn't there a moment before leapt into his abruptly clear, silver-gray eyes, and he leaned toward the cat with a deadly smirk.

"Oh, yeah? Poor, wet little pussy," he taunted defiantly, "the state you're in right now, you couldn't scratch a flea off your mangy hide."

Tohru squeaked in confused embarrasment.

Kyou sucked in a deep, infuriated breath.

Yuki sighed. "I'm going to check the garden - there may be something ready to add to dinner, Honda-san," he added with a sudden wicked twinkle in his eye.

"Oh, o-okay!" Tohru was a little worried about that look, but the fight brewing between Haru and Kyou suddenly escalated into a full-out brawl and she diverted her attention to trying to keep the house from falling down around their ears.

"Oh, no he's gone black," Momiji warned, his little tail wriggling nervously in anticipation of violence.

Shigure chose that moment to make his appearance. He thrust his head through the door, expression deadpan as he stared at the two fighting boys. "Before you break my house again, you two, please remember your promise not to fight around Tohru - _Kyou_," he stressed.

This made Kyou come to a dead stop, and Hatsuharu's fist pounded into his cheek.

"Goddammit!" the cat roared, grabbing his throbbing cheekbone, and the ox laughed triumphantly.

Tohru made a noise of distress behind them, and Hatsuharu turned around to look at her.

"Tell me, do you think it's fair that you've seen all of me, Tohru, when I haven't seen all of you?" Haru said, approaching, and tilting her chin up on one finger.

"Uhm," Tohru managed weakly, speared to the spot by his eyes.

"_...Kill...!" _Kyou snarled. "You dirty perverted bastard!"

A pop nearby heralded the return of Momiji to his natural form, and he dressed quickly, replacing a green beret atop his gold curls just as Yuki returned from outside.

"Yuki! You're just in time! Haru's - ! "

"Don't worry, it's taken care of," Yuki said coolly, brandishing a leek stalk, and spinning it in his fingers like a bokken.

Haru laughed, the sound chilling and dominant as he curved an arm around a nearly catatonic Tohru, his hand disturbingly near her chest.

"Time for you to die, you dumb freakin' cow!" Kyou shouted, diving for the ox's throat.

Expression completely deadpan, Yuki flung the leek at him, and Kyou almost went into spasms trying to keep it from hitting him.

"Stupid cat, afraid of a leek," Yuki said disdainfully.

_"Damned rat! Who the hell throws vegetables?!"_ Kyou exclaimed wildly, his eyes and teeth like daggers as he stomped the leek into the floor, like a terrified three-year-old girl confronted with a spider.

Beside them, Haru and Tohru stood, the ox now blank-eyed as usual, and mutely scratching the back of his head in confusion, Tohru stressed and trembling, hands pressed to her mouth as she watched them with wide eyes.

Just then, Shigure poked his head back into the room, giving a pointed sniff of the air. "Hm," he frowned behind the glasses tipping off his nose, "is that dinner I smell burning?"

This sent Tohru into hyper-drive...

-

_To Be Continued..._


End file.
